Counterbalancing arrangements for cameras attempt to provide stabilization to the camera during mobile use. For example, a conventional counterbalancing arrangement includes a camera mounting portion, e.g., a platform to which the camera attaches to, and a counterbalance, e.g., a counterbalancing arm. Counterbalancing systems act like a suspension to isolate the camera from roll and pitch disturbances. The counterbalance is arranged such that the camera is attached to a pendulum which acts as a low pass filter.
Counterbalancing arrangements for cameras, examples including the “FLOWPOD”, produced by VariZoom, and the Mini Motion-Cam Stabilizer, produced by Hague, therefore conceptually provide stability to a camera mounted on the arrangement. Counterbalancing is useful or even necessary in certain circumstances, e.g., maintaining stability of the camera when it is moved about, e.g., by a camera operator walking while capturing video.
A variety of camera moving devices are used in film and broadcasting as well. These camera moving devices include dollies for lateral tracking shots, jib cranes for horizontal and vertical tracking shots, and camera car mounts for external tracking shots of actors in a moving automobile. Also, other difficult to set up shots employ ad-hoc solutions. For example, such solutions include a doggie cam (producing low tracking shot), a parade cam (producing a shot peering over the head and shoulders in a crowd), a foxhole cam (producing a shot peering out of a protected barrier), a ceiling cam (producing a shot looking down at the actors from above), etc.
While custom or ad-hoc solutions may be acceptable in certain situations, the need for customized equipment increases cost. In addition, passive steady-cams, which stabilize a moving, handheld camera in four (4) degrees of freedom (i.e., pan/yaw, tilt, roll, and heave), require expensive body mounted equipment and operator training.